Hostname: page-component-7dd5485656-dk7s8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-29T16:15:17.964Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Effect of Mats on the Welfare of Sows and Piglets in the Farrowing House

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

L A Boyle ,
D Regan ,
F C Leonard ,
P B Lynch  and
P Brophy
L A Boyle*
Affiliation:
Pig Production Department, Teagasc, Moorepark Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland Department of Animal Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
D Regan
Affiliation:
Pig Production Department, Teagasc, Moorepark Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
F C Leonard
Affiliation:
Pig Production Department, Teagasc, Moorepark Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
P B Lynch
Affiliation:
Pig Production Department, Teagasc, Moorepark Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
P Brophy
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
*
† Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of providing mats in the farrowing pen on behaviour and lesions in sows (n = 38) and piglets. Nineteen of the sows and their litters housed in farrowing crates with metal slatted floors were provided with mats, the remaining 19 acting as controls. Sow skin was inspected pre-farrowing and at weaning: the skin and feet of piglets were examined when they were 6 days old. Skin lesions were scored (on a scale of 0 to 6) according to severity. Total lesion scores per sow and median total lesion scores per litter were calculated. Sow behaviour was recorded by direct observation at feeding. Usage of a heat pad for lying in the presence or absence of mats was assessed over a 2hr observation period. Median skin lesion scores of sows did not differ between treatments. Litters from the control treatment had lower skin lesion scores (median [range] 8 [2-12] vs 10 [5-21]; P < 0.05). Median lesion scores of the front legs tended to be higher for piglets on mats (median [range] 8 [1.5-13] vs 4 [1.5-8]; ns). Sows on metal flooring went from kneeling to lowering their hindquarters faster (median [range] 15 [2—45] s) than sows on mats (23 [11—54] s) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, they slipped more on their front (median [range] 2.7 [0-8.7] vs 0 [0-1.3] slips min1; P < 0.001) and hind (median [range] 5.3 [0.3-31.7] vs 1.9 [0-33.3] slips min1; P < 0.05) feet while standing, than sows on mats. More piglets lay on the heat pad when it was covered by a mat (mean ± SEM 45.97 ± 4.49 %) than when no mat was provided (29.29 ± 4.47 %)(P < 0.05). Mats improve sow comfort and reduce slipping. They encourage piglets to lie on the heat pad but cause damage to the skin of the front legs. Providing pigs with mats in the farrowing house could greatly improve welfare on slatted floors, but further research is needed to identify materials that are less abrasive.

Keywords

animal welfarebehaviourlesionspigs

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , February 2000 , pp. 39 - 48
Copyright
© 2000 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Anonymous 1992 Housing. In: Annual Report of the Danish National Committee for pig breeding, health and production, pp 20–21. Danske Slagterier: Copenhagen, DenmarkGoogle Scholar
Anonymous 1993 Housing. In: Annual Report of the Danish National Committee for pig breeding, health and production, pp 42–43. Danske Slagterier: Copenhagen, DenmarkGoogle Scholar
Blackshaw, J K and Hagelso, A H 1990 Getting-up and lying-down behaviours of loose-housed sows and social contacts between sows and piglets during day 1 and day 8 after parturition. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 25: 67–70CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boyle, L A 1997 Skin lesions, overgrown hooves and culling reasons in sows housed individually. MAgrSc Thesis, National University of Ireland, Dublin, IrelandGoogle Scholar
Boyle, L A, Leonard, F C, Lynch, P B and Brophy, P 1997 Welfare of sows housed in crates and prevalence of severe skin lesions. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 36: 97 (Abstract)Google Scholar
Cronin, G M and Cropley, JA 1991 The effect of piglet stimuli on the posture changing behaviour of recently farrowed sows. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 30: 167–172CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Koning, R 1985 On the well-being of dry sows. PhD Thesis, University of Utrecht, The NetherlandsGoogle Scholar
Edwards, S A, Malkin, S J and Spechter, H H 1986 An analysis of piglet mortality with behavioural observations. Animal Production 42: 470 (Abstract)Google Scholar
Edwards, S A and Lightfoot, A L 1986 The effect of floor type in farrowing pens on pig injury. 2. Leg and teat damage of sows. British Veterinary Journal 142: 441–445CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farmer, C and Christison, G I 1982 Selection of perforated floors by newborn and weanling pigs. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 62: 1229–1236CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furniss, S J, Edwards, S A, Lightfoot, A L and Spechter, H H 1986 The effect of floor type in farrowing pens on pig injury. 1. Leg and teat damage of suckling piglets. British Veterinary Journal 42: 434–440Google Scholar
Gravas, L 1979 Behavioural and physical effects of flooring on piglets and sows. Applied Animal Ethology 5: 333–345CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leonard, F C, O'Connell, J M and Lynch, P B 1996 Skin and foot lesions in sows and piglets on different farrowing house floor types. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 35: 67 (Abstract)Google Scholar
Mitchell, D and Smith, B 1978 Slatted and slotted floors in farrowing pens. Farm Buildings Digest 40: 704712Google Scholar
Navarotto, P L, Heinzl, E L, Giuliani, M G and Lanzani, D 1994 Comparison of farrowing boxes for sows with different types of flooring. In: Proceedings of XII World Congress of Agricultural Engineering, Milan, Italy August 29-September 1. pp 705–712. CIGR General Secretariat: Merelbeke, BelgiumGoogle Scholar
Noldus Information Technology 1993 The Observer, Base Package for DOS, Reference Manual, Version 3.0. Noldus Information Technology: Wageningen, The NetherlandsGoogle Scholar
Noldus Information Technology 1994 The Observer, Support Package for Psion Organiser. User's Manual, Version 3.0. Noldus Information Technology: Wageningen, The NetherlandsGoogle Scholar
O'Connell, J M, Leonard, F C and Lynch, P B 1996 The effect of different floor types on the behavioural activity of sows in the farrowing house. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 35: 66 (Abstract)Google Scholar
Penny, R H C, Osborne, A D and Wright, A I 1963 The causes and incidence of lameness in store and adult pigs. The Veterinary Record 75: 1225–1235Google Scholar
Phillips, P A, Fraser, D and Pawluczuk, B 1995 Effects of cushioned flooring on piglet leg injuries. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 38: 213–216CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phillips, P A and Pawluczuk, B 1995 A floor overlay for reducing leg abrasion injuries on piglets. Canadian Agricultural Engineering 37: 231–233Google Scholar
Phillips, P A, Fraser, D and Thompson, B K 1996 Sow preference for types of flooring in farrowing crates. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 76: 485–489CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quemere, P, Degroote, G, Degroote, S, Stoffaes, J and Willequet, F 1988 Types de sol et lesions podales chez les truies et les porcelets. Journees Recherche Porcine en France 20: 123–132Google Scholar
SAS 1989 SAS/STAT User's Guide, Version 6, 4th edition. SAS Institute Inc: Cary, USAGoogle Scholar
Svendsen, J, Bengtsson, ACH and Svendsen, L S 1986 Occurrence and causes of traumatic injuries in neonatal pigs. Pig News and Information 7: 159–170Google Scholar
Vellenga, L, van Veen, H M and Hoogerbrugge, A 1983 Mortality, morbidity and external injuries in piglets housed in two different housing systems. The Veterinary Quarterly 5: 101–106CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vermeer, H M and Binnendijk, G P 1997 A raised soft farrowing mat during lactation. Report No. P 5.4. Research Institute for Pig Husbandry: Rosmalen, The NetherlandsGoogle Scholar